What Dreams May Come
by Kirvin
Summary: Suppose Kyuubi wasn't trapped just in Naruto but in the World of Dreams connected through Naruto. Kyuubi turns the situation to her own advantage. What is a demon fox to do in the infinate emptiness that is the 'World Between Dreams'
1. The World of Dreams

Standard Disclaimer: Applies at all times

Translations: (you all probably know these already but just in case)

Sugoi! – Cool! Awesome!

Hajimemashite – Pleased to meet you. (When meeting for the first time only.)

**What Dreams May Come**

It's been four years. Four years since that village burned. Since I burned that village. Four years in this…limbo, this dream world. Nothing here but the dreams. Sparkling little stars in the absolute darkness. The anger and frustration have dimmed but not left. Four years have come and gone. Four years I've spent searching and scratching, trying to get out. Four years studying this new human trick. There has to be a way out. Every puzzle has a solution. Anything made can be broken. Finally, I think I've found the way. It will take time. Many years more at least. After millennia of living, I've learned the art of patience. It will work. The kit, that human boy is the key. He was the gateway into this place. He is the way out too. I see his dreams most clearly. He doesn't know why but he knows everyone hates and fears him. It's because of me, of course. I don't blame him for what they did. Stupid humans. They sacrifice one of their own to save their own sorry hides. They treat him like trash. One of their own people. Stupid humans. It will make things easier for me though. The kit needs someone to take care of him. Someone to teach him how to survive. The humans won't. I'll give him a friend and he'll give me his trust. He'll open the gate for me. I'll be free again. I just need to be patient.

* * *

Five-year-old Naruto sat up in the pale moonlight and looked around. He lay in a meadow surrounded by evergreens. Crickets and fireflies flitted around aimlessly. An owl hooted in the trees. Naruto crouched down in the grass. He peered around sniffing cautiously, just like she had taught him to do. He knew she was near by. She always was. Where was she hiding this time? A flicker of movement of to the side caught his attention. He sprang up and dashed as fast as he could, leaping at the moving object. Only to fall on his face. 

Then she was there. Standing over him, he could feel her amusement. They always felt one another's feelings as well as they could their own. In the waking world, it would be impossible for a human and a demon fox to understand one another. In a dream however, one was only limited by the dreamer's imagination. If the dreamer believed something was possible, then it would be true. If the dreamer believed something was impossible that would also be true.

Kyuubi leaned down and nudged little Naruto with her nose. He stood and jumped around a little, cheering. He was always full of energy. Kyuubi gave him a lick and moved out to the meadow. Naruto followed eagerly.

"Yay! What do we play t'night Kyuubi-sama?"

"Lets start by catching fireflies, little one."

Naruto threw his arms up. "Yay! Fireflies!"

They would play all night. Running through field, forests, over hill and dale. All the while Kyuubi used the games to teach the little one to track and hunt, to use his senses to the fullest. She showed him a world outside of his daily village life. He ate it up and always craved more. He gave her all his trust the way only a five year old could.

Kyuubi's plan was being realized. Still she worried. She worried that when he finally knew, he would hate her. Would he hate her for the attacking the village? Would he hate her for destroying his family? Would he hate her for being bound within him? For the way the village looked at him? For his loneliness? His pain?

No. She couldn't think like that. When Naruto was old enough to understand the situation he would help her. He would help his only friend. The little bundle of energy had complete faith in his dream companion. The best way to earn trust is to give it. She would do that.

Morning comes too quickly. They come up to the gate to the waking world, as they did every night. The little one looks up, still grinning. Kyuubi isn't fooled. She can feel his sadness. She leans over to nuzzle his wild hair. He giggles and tries to give her a hug. He is so small he can't reach very far. Eventually, he lets go to totter through the gate and away.

She stays to think, watching the dream, his dream fade into nothing. She thinks about the future, about the past, about her golden haired kit. She wonders what will become of him. Wonders, too, when she began thinking of him as hers. She decides then and there that even when she is free, she will be with him. For as long as he still needed her.

In the mean time, there is little to do in the world between dreams. All around, the dreams shine. Each one is a different colour. Always moving, appearing and disappearing as each person wakes or falls asleep.

Kyuubi examines the dreams close to her. None of the dreamers are from the same country. Not surprising. The world of dreams has no special references. Dreamers from opposite ends of the world may have dreams next to one another. They may even collide and have the same dream. They would never even know.

Kyuubi moves out looking for particular dreamers. She would never find a demon's dream. Simply put demons didn't dream. They didn't even sleep, generally. Instead, she is looking for the villagers from her charge's home. She could enter their dreams with a little effort to give them nightmares. It had become a hobby for her. They deserved it. She didn't even have to do anything in their dreams. They would take one look at her and wake in an instant. She could feel their fear before they vanished. She hoped they woke screaming.

She sniffed around hoping to catch a few before they all woke up. Moving around a cluster of dreams she finds something unusual. A tanuki. Kyuubi freezes in surprise. It sits there, growling fiercely at nothing in particular. Kyuubi watches him cautiously from behind a dream cluster. Normally Kyuubi avoided the tanuki. Under ordinary circumstances, they would never get along and she would leave. These were not ordinary circumstances.

She watches as he continues to growl, swiping at any dream that drifts too close, waking the dreamers in the process. She watches while she is contemplating possibilities. It seemed they were in the same position. It seemed also that he had not found a way out. She could tell him of her plan. She could let him rot here. She might be able to gain something from him. But what could he have that she could possibly want?

_Bah! Leave him to his fate._

She turns to leave but quickly freezes again. The tanuki had stopped growling. He appears to be waiting now. Impatiently waiting. Slowly, a tiny, faintly reddish dream materializes in front of the tanuki. Immediately he seized it, trying to take control of the dreamer. The dream vanished. Tanuki roared and thrashed around in total frustration.

Kyuubi laughed out loud. This time it was the tanuki who froze. Kyuubi makes her presence known proudly, but keeps her distance.

-What…why are you here?- tanuki growls at her in the language all demons know.

-Same as you.- Kyuubi keeps a careful eye on him. -I know the way. To get out, I mean.-

His eyes narrow. -I don't believe you. You wouldn't be here if you could get out.- his suspicion is only natural.

-So you _are_ stuck here.- she says as he confirms her observations to be true.

-You just said…stupid fox. Always have to play tricks don't you- he says, annoyed.

-It's who I am.- she shrugs, unconcerned. -But I meant what I said. I know a way out. It just takes time.- she explains carefully.

-So what is it?- he growls.

She grins at him. -Why should I tell you?-

He growls louder. -Why did you offer in the first place?-

-I didn't offer anything. I said I know a way out, nothing more.-

He keeps growling. She peers at him cheerfully. They both know she has the upper hand.

Finally he relents. -What do you want from me?-

-An excellent question.- she taunts. -What do you have that I might want?-

He keeps right on growling while she pretends to think. -You don't have anything I want, but I'll tell you anyway.-

He stops growling in disbelief. -Are you just going to tell me out of the goodness of your heart?- he says with scorn.

-I think having you in my debt will be payment enough for now. Most likely you won't be able to do it anyway.-

-What do you mean?- he says warily.

-You have a single human host, yes?-

-Ye-es- he admits reluctantly.

-You also hate humans, yes?-

-Absolutely.-

-Well get over it. You need the human's cooperation to leave.-

Tanuki curses loudly and with great enthusiasm. He swipes at drifting dreams in the area. Kyuubi waits for him to settle down.

-There has to be another way!- the tanuki snarls.

-Well if you find one, use it.- Kyuubi turns to leave.

-Wait.- Kyuubi glances backward over her shoulder. -How…how do I…how can I…get a human to…- he stammers.

Kyuubi gives him a foxy grin. -To start, don't attack their dreams. You will never get their assistance that way.- Kyuubi turns to leave again.

-Where are you going?-

-Back to my human. I should be there when he falls asleep.- truthfully she didn't need to move away to find her little one's dreams. Their spirits were tied together. His dreams always appeared right next to her. She simply didn't want the tanuki learning more than he needed to. More than she told him.

Her conversation with the tanuki hadn't been terribly long but in the world of dreams time is flexible. She trotted out of sight of the tanuki. It wasn't long until her charge began to dream.

* * *

It has been a few months since Kyuubi found the tanuki. He calls himself Shukaku. He was a former priest in the sand country. Apparently, he had been trapped inside an iron pot, though how or why he wouldn't say. A little over five years ago his confinement was changed to the present situation. Kyuubi wondered at the fact that they were confined to the same place around the same time. Could the two incidents be related? Without more information it was impossible to say for certain. 

Kyuubi asked about Shukaku's host but all he said was that it was male. Other than that he didn't know and didn't care. Kyuubi patiently explained to him any number of times, he had to change his ways. She told him, for the sake of his freedom at the least, it was necessary. He complained of course. A year ago she would have gladly joined him. A year with her little bundle of energy had changed her opinion on one human if not on the species in general.

The last few months Shukaku had refrained from attacking his host's dreams. It was a slow beginning but still a beginning. Gradually his host started dreaming more frequently. It was still sporadic though.

Kyuubi had thought carefully about the next step. It would be difficult for Shukaku to simply repeat what Kyuubi had done with Naruto. Naruto didn't know about Kyuubi until she had appeared. He still didn't know the whole story. Shukaku's host, on the other hand had seen him and feared him. Fear is never easily overcome nor forgotten. Sometimes it is impossible.

Shukaku simply appearing before his host would only scare the host away. So Kyuubi suggested another approach.

* * *

The temperate forest is bathed in the warm glow of early summer sunshine. Throughout the trees, birds and small animals can be heard moving about. It seems as though the forest itself is alive and breathing. It really is alive in a dream. Under a large oak tree sits a small orange-wrapped package. He lies on his back watching the wind in the trees. 

Kyuubi trots up to him. Naruto sits up, a grin brightening his face.

"Kyuubi-sama!"

"Hello, little one. We will talk."

"Hoh?" Naruto's face becomes serious as he listens attentively. He sits on his heels, his hands flat on the ground in front of him.

"I will show you something new tonight. There is a place that exists where all dreams reside. We shall go there," Kyuubi tries to keep it simple so the little one can understand.

"All dreams? Are you in someone else's dream when I'm not dreaming?" he asks.

"No. I stay in the space between dreams at most times. I can enter some others' dreams if I choose. Come," Kyuubi rises. Naruto is close on her heels.

She leads the way to the gateway to the waking world. The gates are huge wrought iron works. Simple in design and effective in purpose. To the sides of the gate is nothing. Not, nothing as in you could see past it but nothing as in empty nothingness. Naruto wasn't paying attention to anything past the gates and out of sight is out of mind. In a dream, out of mind is out of existence.

"You know these gates, yes?" Kyuubi asks.

Naruto nods solemnly. "This is the leaving place."

Kyuubi turns to him, slightly surprised at his choice of words. "Yes. It leads to the waking world. It can also lead to another place."

Naruto looks at her expectantly.

"Come close but do not pass through," She instructs.

Naruto draws near to the gates.

"Look closely at the outer edge of the gate. Can you see a shadowy outline to them?"

Naruto peers closely as she says, squinting cutely. Suddenly, "Ooooohh! I see sparkly stuff!" He reaches out his hand and just like that they are both in the empty space between dreams, his dream having vanished; popped like a soap bubble. Naruto throws his hands in the air and cheers. "Sugoi!"

Kyuubi actually has to blink for a second, surprised at the ease of the shift. Snapping out of it, she sniffs the non-existent air to locate Shukaku. He is nearby, as always. A normal dream may appear anywhere in the infinite space of the dream world and drifted around. Naruto's dreams always appeared next to Kyuubi, and then drifted around, as dreams do naturally.

Naruto stood on empty space, unafraid. He looks all around in wonder. He watches a greenish dream pass him by, its steady pulse like a beating heart. He reaches out his tiny hands to brush it as it goes on its way. The dream seems to pause, turning toward him as though curious as to what just happened.

"Little one, leave that alone," Kyuubi chides him.

Naruto startles, the attention of a five year old is either all or nothing. He trots to her side. "This is where you are when I'm not dreaming?"

"Yes."

"There's so many…"

"Yes. There is something else I wish you to see."

"There's more?" he says, enthused.

"Yes. Stay close, little one. Do not enter any of these dreams."

She leads the way with Naruto close at hand. "So many colours," Naruto murmurs to himself. Moments later, Shukaku comes into view.

"Hoh? What's that?" Naruto asks.

"That is Shukaku. He's…grumpy."

Shukaku grunts, scowling in their general direction.

"Hajimemashite, Shukaku-san!" Naruto says happily.

Shukaku grunts again, more in surprise then anything else. The little thing wasn't afraid at all. "He's not here yet," Shukaku says.

"Whowha?" is Naruto's intelligent comment.

Kyuubi chuckles. "There is a little boy I want you to meet," She tells Naruto.

"A boy?"

"Yes. Before we meet him there are some things you need to know."

"Hoh?"

"You must be very careful in someone else's dream. They have control. You should not try to change anyone's dream, especially without his or her permission. It could hurt them and you."

"Okay," Naruto says sincerely.

"When the boy's dream appears, be gentle. He does not like to dream."

"Why doesn't he like to dream?"

"It is unpleasant for him."

"Why?"

"It frightens him," Kyuubi deliberately avoided mentioning the cause of the fear.

"Why?" Ah, the persistence of a five year old. Luckily for Kyuubi, Shukaku's host chose that moment to begin dreaming. It appeared slowly. It always did. The dream remained faint and indistinct.

Kyuubi nods toward the newly formed dream. Naruto approaches it cautiously. He peers at it closely, fascinated. Slowly, he brushes the surface of the dream. It flinches, moving away and fading, nearly disappearing. Naruto turns to Kyuubi with a look of sadness on his face.

"He's so scared," He turns back to the dream and gently, very gently brushes it again. It flinches away again but does not fade. He tries a third time; it gives a little twitch. Softly stroking the surface he gives it a hug. A remarkable feat to accomplish on a spot of light. The spot in question flickered blue and purple swirling in confusion. Naruto held it close.

"Lets go meet him, little one," Kyuubi says.

Naruto looks up at her with tears in his bright blue eyes. "How?"

"Shukaku will bring us in," she explains.

Shukaku moves closer, "Let me see it, boy." Naruto holds the dream out in his hand. Shukaku is staring intently at the flickering dream. Gradually, the light grew bigger while other dreams in the area fade away. The purplish-blue light grew until it surrounded all three of the dream travellers.

Out of the light appears a city. The unforgiving midday sun harshly lights the city. The buildings are short and square, the windows dark, doors closed tight. The street is narrow; the ground is covered in sand. In fact, everything is covered in sand. It is on the roofs, the windowsills, in little drifts against the walls. There is a lot of sand.

In the middle of the street is a doorway. It stands there alone. A tattered cloth covers the opening.

Kyuubi turns to look at Naruto. "Look around, little one. Try to find the other boy. I will be watching from a distance if you need me. Shukaku will wait outside."

Naruto nods then darts down the street. Shukaku ambles through the standing doorway. Kyuubi uses her fox magic to be invisible and shadows Naruto as he wanders the streets.

Naruto peeks around a corner. There is nothing there but empty buildings and sand. He zips down that street to the next corner. Still nothing to be found. He listens carefully but hears only the wind and the shifting sands. Naruto shivers. He looks up at the harsh sun, half way through the afternoon. By all appearances it should be very hot. Instead Naruto can see his breath in the air.

He looks down each street. They are all identical. So he goes for the rooftops. He knows it's only a dream so he makes the jump easily. As far as the eye can see is the same rooftop over and over and over. Naruto turns around completely trying to find anything notable. He makes another revolution until something different comes into view. A circular building rises from the uniformity, overlooking the empty buildings.

Naruto races toward the building across the rooftops. At the edge of the square buildings, he looks up at the unique structure. The surface is extremely weatherworn, cracked in a few places. Columns line the out side alternating with circular windows. On the roof is a ball of some kind with a stripe around the centre.

Naruto returns to street level and circles the building a few times before accepting that there isn't a door. He circles once more looking at the roof ledge. He finds a pair of legs hanging over the side.

"Ha! I found you!" Naruto shouts upward.

The legs twitch. A face leans over the edge. It's a boy's face. The boy is very pale; he has mahogany hair and faint rings surrounding his blue-green eyes. His expression is one of surprise and confusion.

"Who are you?" the boy asks.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Who are you?" Naruto tells him with a grin.

"I'm…Gaara."

* * *

A/N: I think I'll stop here for now. Heck, I don't know where I'm going with this. If anyone wants to see more you'll have to leave a review. :P 

The building Gaara is sitting on I found drawn in Naruto chapter 130 page 14. Gaara is sitting there just before Yashamaru tries to kill him.


	2. Playtime and a Little Ramen

**What Dreams May Come**

"Hajimemashite, Gaara-san" Naruto chirped, a huge grin plastered on his face. He ploped down on the roof right beside the stunned boy. "Is this your home town or something? Do you live in the desert? I thought deserts were supposed to be hot? Why's it so cold?"

"...uh, I live in the desert. It gets really cold at night," Gaara said softly. He looked out over the endless rooftops. "But my town doesn't look like this. Why is everything the same?"

Naruto laughed. "Why are you asking me? It's your dream."

"I'm dreaming?" Gaara was amazed.

"Yup! Wanna play?"

"Huh?"

"Do you want to play?" Naruto said each word carefully.

"You...want to play...with me?"

"Didn't I just say that? Come on, I bet you can't catch me!" Naruto hopped across the road to another roof, then turned around to stick out his tongue at Gaara. Gaara doesn't move for a few seconds. Slowly a tiny smile crept over his face. He stood up on the ledge but then he hesitated.

Seeing Gaara start to move Naruto hopped a few more houses away.

"Wait!" Gaara called out. Naruto turned back around, puzzled. He rejoins Gaara on the circular building.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asks.

"How are you doing that?" Gaara wonders.

"What? What did I do?"

"How did you jump so far?" Gaara clarifies.

Naruto blinks for a minute then giggles. "It's just a dream, you can do whatever you want to. Here, I'll show you." Naruto takes Gaara's hand and jumps. They easily cross the street and keep going. Gaara gets the idea and soon both are racing across endless sand dunes under a starry sky.

They run and chase each other over the sand or through rocky canyons for hours on end. All night they run and jump and tumble and do what five years olds do best. Though they both wished it would never end, alas, it was not to be. Morning came and they had to part ways.

While moving through the desert they come upon a standing door, its opening covered by a tattered cloth. "I guess it's morning." Naruto grumbles.

"Why is there a door here?" Gaara questions.

Naruto recognizes the door from his entry. "That door wakes you up," he says pointing at it. "I had fun tonight. Lets play again tomorrow!"

Gaara gives a sad little smile. "Okay. Arigatou gozaimasu, Naruto."

"Dou itashimashite," Naruto says, beaming.

Gaara trudges out the door. Naruto passes briefly through the starry expanse between dreams before exiting through his own iron gate.

Shukaku and Kyuubi are left behind. Neither says anything. Kyuubi thinks on the night just passed. The boy Gaara is very different from her Naruto; even so both boys had the same longing for a friend. If both she and Shukaku are sealed in the same fashion, they can both find freedom. Kyuubi remembers the doorway in Gaara's dream. There were no bars on the door; the tattered cloth is certainly no barrier. _It looks as if freeing Shukaku will require a different approach_, she thinks. She continues to work at this new puzzle without mentioning anything to Shukaku.

* * *

The following night, Kyuubi brought Naruto to Shukaku, hopefully to see Gaara again. But that night Gaara didn't dream. 

"Why isn't he coming?" Naruto asks Kyuubi.

"Perhaps you can ask him that tomorrow, little one. In any case, lets look at other dreams here."

The pair moves away from Shukaku, he ignores them both. They close in on a group of dreams and isolate one. It's pale blue almost white in colour, flashing in a rapid staccato beat. Naruto looks over at Kyuubi, asking permission with his eyes. When she nods, he reaches out to brush the flashing dream. Nothing happens, so he gives it a poke. Still nothing. He seizes the dream in one hand and turns it about, examining it from every angle. It feels cold in his hand, fitting neatly into his palm. The spot of light shines brightly.

"Can I go in this dream?" he asks.

"Try it," Kyuubi encourages.

He looks at the dream blankly. He turns it over again, trying to learn something new. Taking it in both hands he pulls in opposite directions. Nothing happens.

"I can't do it," he complains.

"Then it is most likely you do not know this person. It is next to impossible to enter the dream of someone you have not met."

"Oh."

"Try finding someone you have met," Kyuubi suggests.

"Hoh? How do I do that?"

"Look for them. Find them"

Naruto inspects the dreams closest to him, wondering what to look for. All the dreams in the area sparkle uncaringly. Some are bright; some are dark. Some have a steady pulse, some flicker randomly. His attention focuses on one in particular. This dream is a brownish colour, with a steady heartbeat. Naruto wonders why this one should catch his eye. He seizes it anyway.

"Hey, it's soft!" he cries. He sticks a finger right into it; the rest of him soon follows. Kyuubi quickly noses her way in after him. Shukaku snorts with derision.

* * *

Naruto finds himself on a street. It's a street he recognizes easily in Konoha. It's the very street where his favourite ramen shop is located. In fact, he just happens to be standing in front of it. 

Kyuubi appears to his side a moment later, entering through the wooden doorway standing in the street. She watches, amused as he runs up to the restaurant counter, sits on a stool and stars screaming 'Ramen! Ramen!' at the top of his lungs. A man soon appears behind the counter bringing the aforementioned ramen. The man smiles at Naruto as he talks. Naruto can't answer through the noodles but the man doesn't mind.

When the man looks up from the half-sided conversation, his eyes land on Kyuubi. The dream around them wavers and starts to fall apart. Kyuubi looks away, expecting to find them both back in-between dreams. Instead the dream remains, although it is still unstable. The man goes back to talking to Naruto.

Kyuubi is amazed. This had never happened before. Kyuubi scrutinizes the man carefully. She can feel that he is afraid yet it doesn't show on his face. _Interesting_, she thinks.

"Yay! Your ramen is the bestest ever! Arigatou!" Naruto cries.

"Ha, ha! Come back any time Naruto-kun," the man says.

"Let's go play!" Naruto shouts as he jumps off the stool.

The man watches him go. Subsequently, his eyes slide over to Kyuubi, still very much afraid. She stares right back at him. Slowly, she tilts her head towards him and says clearly, "Arigatou." The dream vanishes.

* * *

Kyuubi and Naruto are back in the between space. 

"Sugoi! I love ramen!" Naruto says. "Lets find another!" Naruto runs about, poking various dreams along the way.

"Stay close, little one. We don't want to loose track of Shukaku and Gaara," Kyuubi says to him.

"Oh! Okay!" Naruto dashes back to Shukaku. "Is he dreaming now?" he asks.

"No," Shukaku grunts.

Naruto goes back to looking for familiar dreamers. Instead he finds the iron gateway. He's saddened as he waves goodbye.

* * *

Another night arrives and so does Naruto. On this night Naruto skips his own dream entirely and arrives in the realm of dreams. Both demons are surprised by his sudden entry. He throws his hands up to cheer. 

"Kyuubi-sama!"

Kyuubi takes a moment to compose her self. "Why did you come directly here? You miss your own dream."

"I've seen my dreams. I wanna see someone else's dreams."

"Nosy brat," Shukaku mutters.

"Eh?" Naruto gives him a confused look. He would have questioned Shukaku about that comment but Gaara's dream showed up just then. Naruto cheers.

Gaara's dream is a deep purple-indigo emitting a steady light. Naruto grabs for it but it flits out of his grasp.

"Be gentle, little one," Kyuubi reminds him. He tries again, taking it softly in one hand. Naruto tries to work his way in gently only to find the way blocked.

"I can't get in. How come I can't get in?"

"Shukaku can bring us in again," Kyuubi says. Shukaku moves closer and the dreams light slowly envelops them.

"Hey, Kyuubi? How come I can't get in but Shukaku can?"

Kyuubi looks down at him. "It's because his spirit is connected to Gaara's like mine is connected to yours."

"Oh," Naruto ponders this information as a dusty canyon materializes before the group. "Is that why you could get in my dream before I ever knew you?"

"Yes, that's right," she replies. The canyon has vertical walls several stories high. Twenty meters forward, the canyon turns abruptly left.

"Okay." Naruto skips around the corner and out of sight.

Shukaku turns to give Kyuubi a look. She looks right back daring him to speak. And he does dare.

"He doesn't know," he chuckles.

"No, he doesn't. I'll tell him when the time is right," she tells him.

"Better do it before someone else does," he mocks. She growls at his back as he saunters through the doorway out.

* * *

Naruto rounds the corner. There he finds a courtyard. Gaara is sitting on a swing on one side of the yard, holding a raggedy teddy bear. 

"Gaara!" Naruto shouts happily.

Gaara turns to him, surprised but happy. "Naruto. You came back."

Naruto grins, he quickly joins Gaara on the swings. "Course I did," he starts to swing. "How come you weren't sleeping last night?"

Gaara bows his head, clutching his teddy bear tighter. "I was too scared to."

"How come?"

"There's a monster when I sleep," whispers Gaara. Naruto's swinging stops.

"Monster?" Naruto looks around quickly. He sees the sandy ground, the vertical canyon walls, and the piercing blue sky above. "I don't see any monster," he tells Gaara.

"I know. But he's here somewhere, close by," Gaara says fearfully.

"Ne, don't worry Gaara. Kyuubi-sama will protest us," Naruto says cheerfully. He starts swinging again.

Gaara turns to Naruto in doubt, "Who is Kyuubi?"

"Oh! Kyuubi-sama is the bestest ever! She a great fox and she's all big and flame-y and powerful and stuff! She's so cool and we play stuff all the time and, and, she's my best friend and stuff! She knows everything and do you want to meet her? She'll be your friend too, I know it!"

"Big and flame-y?" Gaara mutters.

"Yeah, and she has the nicest fur. It's so soft and warm. Do you want to meet her?"

Gaara hesitates, "Um...okay,"

Naruto grins. Gaara drops his teddy bear as he is yanked off the swings and towed across the yard. When the pair rounds the corner, Gaara 'eep's and hides behind Naruto's back.

"Hi Kyuubi-sama! Gaara, this is Kyuubi. Cool, huh?"

Gaara nervously peeks over Naruto's shoulder. The giant demon fox is lying on the canyon floor, her feet tucked under her. She takes up most of the passageway. Kyuubi tries to make herself look welcoming.

"Hajimemashite, Gaara-kun. Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you," she says soothingly.

Gaara ducks behind Naruto. "Scary," he murmurs.

"Ne, don't be a chicken, Gaara. Kyuubi is my friend."

Gaara peeks over Naruto's shoulder again but he is unable to say a word.

"You two go and play. I don't want to be frightening your new friend, little one," Kyuubi says.

Naruto shrugs. He takes Gaara back around the corner with little encouragement.

The pair plays until morning. As they find themselves at the waking door, Kyuubi is sitting comfortably to the side. Gaara tries again to hide behind Naruto. With a bit of prompting he crosses the sand in front of her and scurries out the door.

* * *

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	3. Face Your Fears

**What Dreams May Come **

Naruto opens his eyes to the star speckled darkness he has become accustomed to. Kyuubi and Shukaku are right there as well. He looks around Shukaku hoping to spot Gaara's dream. It isn't there.

"Hey Kyuubi-sama, how come I'm always dreaming before Gaara?" Naruto asks.

Kyuubi thinks for a minute. "Perhaps it is because you live in different time zones," she reasons.

"What? I don't get it," Naruto says.

"What I mean is, night time arrives sooner in your village then it does in his."

"Oh," he remarks.

Gaara's dream appears shortly and Naruto soon finds himself in a dusty city. The street is lined with various shop fronts. Images of ghostly people are wandering from stall to stall. Naruto spots the only solid figure in the area and makes his way toward him. Kyuubi follows at a distance.

Gaara turns at the sound of footsteps. He spots Naruto, but no sooner do their eyes meet then he looks past Naruto to Kyuubi. Gaara freezes, a look of fear on his face.

"Hi, Gaara!" Naruto shouts. "Gaara?" Naruto waves a hand in front of Gaara's face.

"Ah," is all Gaara manages to get out. Naruto glances back at Kyuubi. Kyuubi heaves a sigh.

"Does my appearance bother you, Gaara-kun?" asks Kyuubi, softly.

"Y-yes," replies Gaara, timidly.

"Why does it bother you?"

"I…I dunno…you're scary," Gaara moves to hide behind the nearest market stall.

"What is it about me that scares you?"

"Um…'cause you're really big," Gaara mumbles.

"And why is my size frightening?"

"Um… I dunno,"

A large swirl of smoke surrounds the giant fox. When it clears, a regular size fox replaces the giant. "Is this better, Gaara-kun?"

"Oh!" Gaara moves out from behind the stall. "You're just a regular fox?" he whispers.

"I am still the same person. I can still do all the things I could before. This isn't really me, it is just an illusion," Kyuubi tells him.

"Oh," Gaara says.

"If you try, you can still see the real me under the illusion. Although I don't want to frighten you Gaara-kun, neither do I want to pretend to be something I'm not. At least give me a chance before you run away."

Gaara thinks about this for a minute. "I…will try," he says.

"That is all I ask," Kyuubi puffs back to her natural form.

"Can you, uh, show me how to do that?"

Kyuubi smiles gently, "The illusion? Certainly. I will show both of you…little one?"

While Kyuubi and Gaara were talking, Naruto had wandered down the hazy street. He was poking indeterminate objects laid out on a market stall table.

"Little one, come here. I am going to show you some of my fox techniques," Kyuubi calls to Naruto.

Naruto hurries back to Kyuubi and Gaara. "Sugoi! For real?" he squeals.

Kyuubi chuckles, "Indeed." She looks over at Gaara, "If you don't mind Gaara-kun, I would like to change the setting."

Gaara blinks up at Kyuubi, not really understanding what she means. He nods once.

The dusty city blurs away. In its place, a grassy meadow valley spouts underfoot. On one side is a forest, on the other a sparkling clear lake. Snow caped mountains surround the entire valley.

Gaara stares in awe. Naruto waits eagerly, grinning, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Kyuubi smiles, "Hajimemashoo," she says to them.

-----

Over the next week and a half, Kyuubi teaches Naruto and Gaara various illusory tricks. They pick it up quickly. Kyuubi tells them to practice in the waking world. It isn't really useful in a dream. After all, anything you want can be real in a dream. At the same time Gaara gradually becomes accustomed to the presence of a giant demon fox at his side.

After that time, Kyuubi calls them together for a different topic.

"Gaara-kun, I think there is someone you should talk to," Kyuubi says to Gaara.

"Who is it?" he asks.

"Shukaku," she tells him plainly. "I promise he will not hurt you."

Naruto is puzzled. He looks over to see a look of fear pass over Gaara's face. "Ne, Gaara, why would you be scared of Shukaku? That guy never does anything. He's never said more than three words at a time."

Gaara shivers. He sits down and hugs his knees to his chest. Naruto scratches his head.

"Never mind, little one. Gaara-kun, I will make sure Shukaku does not do anything untoward. But he is a part of you, for now. You should know him."

"Un-too what?" Naruto asks.

"Bad stuff." Kyuubi says absently.

Gaara peeks up at her. "Promise?"

"I promise," says Kyuubi solemnly.

Gaara shivers again, and then he stands slowly. He nods. He stays close to Naruto and Kyuubi.

Kyuubi indicates the doorway standing by the shore of the lake. The frayed cloth across the opening flutters. Shukaku emerges from the darkness beyond. He stands there at the edge of the lake, gazing toward the trio on the grass.

Kyuubi turns to Gaara; "You don't have to talk to him today if you are too afraid."

Gaara glances up at her then back to Shukaku. He takes a deep breath. Slowly, he steps toward the massive form of the demon tanuki. Halfway there, he stops.

"Y-you are Shukaku?" he stammers.

"Last time I checked," the demon replies.

"What did you attack me before?"

"Because I want out. I want my freedom back." Shukaku growls.

Gaara visibly shrinks but he does not back away. "Will you do it again?" he asks.

Shukaku shrugs, "No point. I can't get out that way," he wanders over to the meadow and flops onto the ground.

Kyuubi chuckles. "You see, Gaara-kun? He's harmless."

Shukaku frowns in her direction, "No need to insult me," he grouches. Naruto giggles. Gaara looks from Naruto to Kyuubi to Shukaku with wide eyes. Then, almost imperceptibly, the corners of Gaara's mouth twitch upward.

After that, things went pretty smoothly.

-----

Weeks turn into months. Naruto would go to the between place, if Gaara dreamt that night Naruto and the demons would join him. They would play or Kyuubi would show them tricks in illusions or fire techniques. Shukaku did very little in the first month, aside from the occasional snide comment. But after nearly constant prodding from Naruto, Shukaku agreed to teach them some earth based techniques.

It should be mentioned that the techniques the demons know is very different from the techniques humans usually use. Human techniques, or jutsus, combine body and spirit energies within the body, then released through hand seals. Demons, on the other hand, cast their energies out of the body first, combining it with naturally occurring energies in the setting. This means that even for the exact same effect, such as a simple illusion, the approach was totally different. Each method has its advantage and disadvantage. The use of hand seals makes any effect you can think of possible, as long as you have enough energy and know the seals…and can use your hands, obviously. But, once the hand seals have been carried out, the jutsu can't be changed. Plus, if the seals are not done properly, all the energy put into the jutsu is wasted. On the other hand, demons, by using energy from the world around them, use up a lot less of their own energy at once and, without seals, there is flexibility in the out come. A jutsu can be altered mid-stream. The drawback is if an element is not in the environment, a certain effect is impossible. Like starting a fire underwater. Of course, there are always ways to get around such limitations.

For nearly a year, life went on this way. For nearly a year, the four could honestly say they enjoyed each other's company. Nearly a year went by, until one day everything changed.

-----

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	4. Darkness

Translation: 

Ware wo aisuru shura - the demon who loves only himself (at least, that's what it means according to a fan site I visited.)

**What Dreams May Come**

It was a normal day in the void of the dream world. Though it is always night somewhere, the two demons who now reside in the dream world are waiting for night to fall in a certain part of the world. To pass time, the two speak of many things. Just as they are discussing relative human and demon sociology, Shukaku stops speaking mid-sentence.

-Is something wrong?- Kyuubi asks him.

-Something is happening to Gaara,- Shukaku frowns. -He is very upset.-

Kyuubi waits patiently for more information to be forthcoming. Shukaku paces. He makes several passes, grumbling under his breath. Suddenly, his whole body stiffens, his eyes go wide. He tilts his head back and screams in anger and pain. Kyuubi jumps back in surprise. Shukaku thrashes around shouting obscenities, trying to find something to tear into pieces.

Shukaku is still cursing when Naruto's dream-self appears beside Kyuubi. Naruto stares wide-eyed at the rampaging tanuki.

"What's going on?" he squeaks.

"Something happened to Gaara, little one," Kyuubi tells him as she moves herself between Naruto and the enraged sand demon.

"Is he okay?" he asks, worried for his friend.

"I do not know," Kyuubi says honestly. "When Gaara appears or Shukaku calms down, I will ask. Until then, you should stay in your own dream."

"NO! I'll wait here with you," Naruto protests.

"Nothing will happen tonight, little one. But, if Gaara appears I will tell you right away."

Naruto reluctantly agrees. His dream body fades into a dim point of light.

Kyuubi was right, though. Gaara did not appear that night and Shukaku was too angry to speak.

Naruto tried again the following night but the situation was the same. Shukaku was still furious and Gaara still did not appear. The night after that was the same; and the night after that, and the night after that.

Finally, one night, two weeks later, Shukaku stopped cursing. Kyuubi, who had been keeping herself at a distance, drew near cautiously. Before she could say anything, Shukaku vanishes. Kyuubi stops, surprised. Where did he go? She searches the area he had just been. She finds an answer after a thorough hunt, Gaara's dream had appeared. It was pitch black, almost impossible to see in the dark void between dreams. The only way she spotted it was when it passed between her and some brighter dreams nearby. But it was there.

Kyuubi fetched Naruto out of his own dream. With a bit of effort they both work their way into Gaara's dream. What greets them is darkness. Pure and absolute, in every direction.

"G-Gaara?" Naruto calls into the shadows. Silence is his only answer.

Naruto starts to move forward, a ripple, like water, moving out from every step he takes on the black ground. He starts to run. Kyuubi stays close behind him. They run for what seems like hours. They can't even tell if they are making progress. Nothing seems to happen until finally, a figure appears out of the black fog. It is Shukaku, hunched over something. He was speaking lowly to whatever was between his feet.

"There they are," Kyuubi says. Naruto spots Shukaku and he immediately runs over to them. Gaara is sitting in front of the demon tanuki, his arms wrapped around his knees, staring blankly into the darkness. When Naruto gets close enough he hears what Shukaku is saying.

"…into pieces. Crush them. Destroy them. Let me tear them…" he goes on like this.

Naruto feels a chill go up his spine. He skids to a stop in front of Gaara and kneels on the black ground. "Gaara, what hap-AAHHH!" Naruto falls on his backside.

An angry red wound decorates Gaara's forehead. Blood is dripping down the entire left side of Gaara's face. Slowly, the blood seeps out of the cut, into his eye and down his cheek, to drip onto his clothing in a never ending steam.

"…kill them all…" Shukaku whispers behind Gaara.

"G-Gaara," Naruto starts again. "What happened?"

"…they want to get rid of me," Gaara says tonelessly. "…said I was unstable…too dangerous…he…he tried to kill me…"

"W-who?"

"Yashamaru. My uncle. He said he resented me. He tried to kill me…and I killed him."

Naruto shudders.

"He never cared for me. No one ever loved me. Ware wo aisuru shura. That's me. No one will ever love me so I gave love to myself." Gaara's eyes close, tears join the blood in a race down his face. That's when Naruto and Kyuubi both notice that the cut on Gaara's forehead is actually the kanji 'ai'. Love.

"He was the only one who ever even tried to be my friend. Now there's nothing-"

"What about me?" Naruto shouts. "I'm your friend, Gaara!"

Gaara blinks balefully, "You're not real."

"I'm as real as you are!" Naruto protests.

"It's just a dream," Gaara goes on. "Nothing is real here."

"Those techniques I showed you," Kyuubi says "Are those not real either?"

Gaara looks up at her, "It never worked. Jutsus don't work that way."

"It does so work! I've done it!" Naruto screams.

"You're just part of this dream."

"That's not true!"

"…annihilate every last one…" this comment from Shukaku.

"It doesn't matter. This isn't real. Go away." Gaara sweeps his arm out. Naruto and Kyuubi feel a great force push them back. They find themselves outside, amongst other people's bright sparkling dreams.

"No!" Naruto immediately grabs Gaara's dream to go back in. "Gaara, please! I'm real! I'm your friend! Please let me in!" but the way in is blocked.

"Little one, go to your own dream," Kyuubi says.

"What! I can't leave Gaara like this!"

"Listen, if you can not go into his dream then I will bring him into yours."

"Alright!" Naruto fades into a point of green light.

Kyuubi nudges the two dreams together. She watches as the slowly merge and become one. _If Gaara thinks we are not real, this will not be much use. There must be some kind of proof…but what? _She enters the new dream.

Inside the combined dream, Kyuubi finds herself in a theatre. The house lights have been dimmed and the curtain opened. There is no audience but up on stage sit Gaara and Shukaku. The blood on Gaara's face has disappeared but the kanji mark remains. Naruto is clambering the stairs onto the stage. Kyuubi listens to the two boys talking. Naruto tries in vain to convince Gaara that he is real and a friend, but Gaara dismisses Naruto or ignores him. Meanwhile, Shukaku has decided to demolish the stage.

_Proof, proof…what would he believe…hmmm, maybe…maybe that could work._

"Gaara-kun," Kyuubi calls out. "I wish to show you something."

"It doesn't matter," Gaara replies. "Nothing matters."

"Then it won't matter if you stay here or not,"

Gaara looks up at her slowly "No, I guess not," he says.

"Let me show you something," Kyuubi repeats.

Gaara sighs, he unwraps his arms to stand. Kyuubi points to stage exit left where, instead of seeing backstage, there is a doorway with a tattered cloth covering the opening.

"At the edge of that doorway is a secret door which leads to the stars," Kyuubi knew Gaara liked to look at the stars. She knew it from spending nearly a year in his company.

"Stars…" Gaara trudges to the doorframe. He prods the frame for a moment, and then disappears. Shukaku, still gnawing on a theatre seat, disappears too. Kyuubi and Naruto follow them out.

Gaara stares blankly at the starry setting. Shukaku growls, glaring at everything.

"Gaara-kun, try looking around for a star that feels familiar to you,"

"…a familiar star? That's dumb," Gaara says dully.

"Please, just humour me."

Gaara shrugs. He moves out slowly. He looks around without enthusiasm. They move ever onward, Gaara doesn't react to any of the dreams. Shukaku crushes dreams in their wake. Naruto stays close to his friend's side.

_There are so many dreams and dreamers. It may be impossible to-_

Gaara stops. He turns to the side, a puzzled look on his face. He moves away, toward a lone dream. This dream is tan in colour, slowly pulsing. Gaara takes the little star in his hands.

"I know this one…this is…" Gaara trails off. He presses into the tan light and falls into the dream. Naruto grabs his arm before he vanishes, he gets pulled in too. The accompanying demons follow.

The group of four are standing in a yard. A school yard. The school looms in front of them, larger than it would be in real life. In front of the school, crouched down, a figure is doodling in the sand with a short stick.

* * *

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	5. One Step at a Time

**What Dreams May Come**

Gaara stared at the person sitting by the schoolhouse for a long moment. He sighed.

"I don't want to see them. I want to see the stars again," he turned away.

"Gaara, wait!" Kyuubi yells. Too late, Gaara was gone, and Shukaku left with him. Naruto was about to follow but Kyuubi stood in the way. "Wait."

"But Gaara-" Naruto protested.

"I know, little one. I have a plan, but I need you to stay here."

"Will…will Gaara be okay on his own?" Naruto shifted his weight from foot to foot, worried.

Kyuubi peeked out to the outer dream world. Gaara stood perfectly still, staring at the twinkling dreams. "For now, he will be fine. Speaking to him in dreams, as we have done, does not appear to be having any effect on him. Someone will need to speak to him in the waking world."

"But I don't know how to get to his village, Sunagakure…oh! That's why you wanted him to find this person?"

"Exactly. We must convince this person to talk to Gaara for us. If someone he knows speaks to him of his own dreams, at the least we will get his attention."

"Will that make Gaara better?"

"One step at a time, dear," Kyuubi peeked out at Gaara once more. He hadn't moved. Kyuubi quickly outlined what she wanted Naruto to say and motioned him toward the school building and the figure crouched by the wall.

* * *

_Gaara. Strange, quiet, little Gaara._

_Everyone is afraid of you…no, that's not right. They're afraid of what's inside you – the demon and it's power. I was afraid too, but I didn't understand. Not really. Then you showed me a reason to fear you. You showed everyone a reason, especially uncle Yashamaru. _

_But, why Yashamaru? He was always kind to everyone, even you. I thought uncle would be the last person you would ever hurt. He was the one who took care of all my cuts and bruises. I'm sure if you ever got hurt, Gaara, that he would have done the same for you. He was the one who would stop you from doing too much damage or hurting someone else…but uncle couldn't stop you from destroying him._

_Everyone hates you but they couldn't do anything about it. They can't even touch you because of the sand. They couldn't get to you, but they could get to me. They hate me just because you exist; they hate me almost as much as they fear you. Jut because you're my little brother. They used to curse me, hit me, throw rocks at me…used to, heh. I'll never forget the look on that woman's face right before the very rock she threw at me hit her square on the forehead, hahaha! The thought of it still makes me laugh. What an expression, haha! Everyone left me alone after that._

_But then, … if you weren't around Gaara, she wouldn't have thrown it. No one would hate me. I could've had friends if you didn't exist, Gaara. If you weren't for you I would still have an uncle. I would still have a mother. _

_Mother. I can barely remember her. She would sing just before bedtime. I don't remember the song anymore. All that's left now is a couple of pictures._

_I should hate you. I should fear you, but somehow…I just can't._

_I still remember, just a little more than a year ago, you used to stay awake for days on end, and when you finally went to sleep you would wake up screaming, begging someone, anyone, to make the monster go away. It's hard to hate someone who screams like that. _

_A year ago, you changed. I still don't know what happened, back then. You stopped screaming at night, I was so relieved. But still, you're always by yourself. It was like you stopped trying to be a part of this world. Like your body is here but your mind is long gone. I'm not sure if this is better or worse. At least I can get a whole night's sleep now. _

_

* * *

_"Um, hello," a voice reached across the dreamscape, bringing the dreamer out of their private thoughts. "Do you, um, know Gaara?" 

A head rose to stare blankly at the speaker before answering. "Yes. Of course I do. Who are you?"

"I'm Naruto, I'm Gaara's friend, but he won't talk to me, so we came to find you so you can talk to him and he'll be better!" Naruto said, all in one breath.

"What? Gaara doesn't have any friends."

"I'm his friend!" Naruto said, outraged. "And he's my best friend and I don't know how to help him," he sniffed, and the edge of tears.

"What …do you want from me?"

"You have to do something. You have to tell him about this dream tonight. Tell him I was in your dream and I'm a real person! You have to tell him I'm his friend! This is more then a dream! You have to make him believe."

"But he…he'll kill me. Like he killed Uncle. I can't!"

"No he won't. Gaara's a good person; they attacked him first. He's all alone right now but you can help him. You have to try. Please!"

"I…I don't know if I can do that…"

"You have to! Please, I don't know what else to do."

The dreamer said nothing as they considered Naruto's plea. A few minutes passed with Naruto sniffing occasionally and wiping his nose on his sleeve. Finally, the blond girl known as Temari, elder sister of Sabaku no Gaara, rose to her feet. "A-Alright. I'll try."

* * *

Gaara gazed across the dreamscape with a furrowed brow. A cool breeze ruffled his brown hair, swirling through sand and browned grass. The wind blew past spine covered oak trees and leafy cacti. In the sky, the sun and moon gazed down side by side, like a great pair of eyes. 

Naruto and the demons poped into the scene. Immediately, Narutowent toGaara's side.

"Gaara, are you feeling better?"

"How… I never told anyone about my dreams. How did she know?" Gaara's voicefluttered, full of confusion.

"We told her, Gaara-kun," Kyuubi said. "You found her last night, remember? Come and find her again. This time, speak to her yourself. When you wake tomorrow morning you can ask her what she dreamed about and you will find that it is the same thing, from her point of view."

"It's not possible…" he trailed off as a tiny cow flapped it's tiny wings and flew around his head.

Naruto took Gaara's hand and guided him to the dream door. Out among the dreams, Gaara looked about, searching for one dream. He started moving forward, then abruptly stopped, turned sharply left and downward (although it is difficult to define which way is 'down' without the help of gravity, other then the direction your feet are pointing) and moved in that direction.

"She's this way." Gaara said, more to himself then to the others.

"Are you sure," Kyuubi asked him.

"Yes, I recognize my sister."

They moved for some time in the direction Gaara dictated, Kyuubi wondering all the while if Gaara really knew what he was doing. Eventually, Gaara stopped in front of a single yellowish dream, glowing with a faint, but steady, light.

"It's her," Gaara whispered. He reached out with his one free hand, Naruto still clinging to the other, and sank into the dream.

* * *

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	6. What's in a Name?

**What Dreams May Come**

Temari sat on a sand dune over looking her favourite oasis. A tiny cliff, barely fifteen feet high, jutted abruptly out of the sands. It stretched only fifty feet before vanishing underground on either side. Right in the middle about half way up the cliff-face a small trickle of water poured out over the rocks forming a small pool on the desert floor. A few scraggly bushes, some scrub grass and a single palm tree was all the little pool could sustain. The water was clear and just cool enough to be refreshing, and there wasn't enough of it to bring a lot of people out here. Temari though it was perfect.

She also thought she was alone. Imagine her surprise when her youngest brother and a blond boy walk out of a stone doorframe in the cliff face right in front of her.

Temari stood hastily, "G-Gaara… wait," she turned to the other boy. "You're the same boy I saw… in my dream last night. I'm dreaming again aren't I?" she muttered to herself.

"Yes, I'm dreaming," Gaara said.

"No, It's her dream," Naruto piped up.

Gaara turned to him, "But I'm the one dreaming."

"You left your dream remember? We left yours and we were in the between place, where all the star-dreams are, then you found hers and went inside. It's her dream."

"Oh," is all Gaara could think to say.

"Why are you in my dream," Temari wanted to know.

Gaara turned back to her, "You told me earlier today," he began, "That you had a strange dream and a boy told you to tell me about it."

"Yes, it was him," she pointed at Naruto.

"But if this is just a dream, that's not possible," Gaara's face was still clouded with confusion.

"I keep telling you it's more than just a dream," Naruto cries. "And you can prove it right now! Gaara! Have you ever told anyone about me? About all the dreams we've had together?"

"No, I don't think so."

"You've never told anyone my name?"

"No, no one."

"Temari! Has Gaara ever told you my name? Have you ever heard my name before I told you last night?"

"No. Why?"

"Then wake up right now! Go wake up and go right to Gaara and say that my name is Naruto. This is the only place you know of me. The only way both of you know my name is from dreams and if you know my name before he tells you then you had the same dream! You see? There can't be any other way to know that!"

The sand siblings stared at him for a moment. "I think I understand," Temari said slowly. She and her dream oasis slowly faded from sight as she woke herself up. Naruto and Gaara rejoin the demons in the outer dream realm, in a sphere of relative emptiness thanks to Shukaku. "I don't get it," Gaara said.

"Did you tell the sister, little one?" Kyuubi asked of Naruto.

"Yep! Just like you said."

"Gaara-kun, remember everything you saw inside her dream, everything that was said, and ask her about it. She can tell you the same thing you saw and heard. It was her dream you shared, not just yours."

"Not just mine… But, how is it possible to share a dream?" Gaara abruptly vanished as he was awakened, presumably by Temari.

Naruto remained, his face turned down in thought. Kyuubi watched him as he fiddled with the hem of his shirt.

"You are worried about Gaara, little one?" she asked gently.

"Well, part is that."

"What else is bothering you?"

"I was thinking about what he said. I mean, I know _you're_ real, but what if he is just someone my mind made up because I wanted a friend so bad?"

Kyuubi chuckled, "Do you trust me?" she asked.

"Of course," Naruto smiled.

"Then take my word that he is a real person from Sunagakure. When you are old enough, perhaps you will go there yourself and meet him in person. Until then, please take my word for it, alright?"

"Okay," he said. He waved as he left and woke.

Kyuubi sat among the dreams for a time. Her ears twitched now and then at a faint odd sound. Where was that coming from? The sound grew louder as she looked about. Her eyes fell on Shukaku, who was shaking slightly. Was he…? Yes, he was laughing. He threw his head back and gave a full-bellied, hearty laugh.

"What's so funny?" Kyuubi asked him.

"Didn't you hear what he said?" he giggled.

"What did he-" then it hit her. 'I know _you're_ real' he had said. "Oh," is all she could think to say.

"It is not remotely funny," Kyuubi growled at him. Shukaku kept giggling. It wasn't so much that he thought it was actually funny, his laughter was becoming hysterical and desperate.

"Hahaha! You tried to be so careful about what you said to him. 'I'll tell him when he's ready,' you said. Ha! Someone beat you to it! Hahaha! I always thought your plan was shitty. Now we'll be stuck here forever. Aha…"

Kyuubi turned away from the raccoon demon. How could Naruto have found out? Someone must have told him. This could be a problem. She thought to herself. How much does he know? This changes everything… wait…. Slowly a smile formed on Kyuubi's face. "This is perfect," she said.

Shukaku stopped laughing in surprise, he looked over at her. "What? Don't you realize what this means? Someone must have told him." He unwittingly mimicked Kyuubi own thoughts from only a moment ago. "There's no telling what else he was told. He might never help you, or me for that matter, get out of this hell!"

"It is you who does not realize what this means," Kyuubi said smugly. "He said he knew. He also said he trusted me. This is the best outcome I could have hoped for. A little earlier then I had expected, though," she admitted

Slowly, an expression of relief covered Shukaku's face. Kyuubi was grateful he had stopped laughing. It had been a disconcerting sound coming from the normally taciturn demon.

"Then… we can still…"

"Yes," Kyuubi sighed. "Now things can move forward."


	7. Best Friends

What Dreams May Come

The day seemed long as the demons could do nothing but wait until nightfall. Although Kyuubi and Shukaku both got vague feelings from their hosts, it didn't tell them what was going on.

That night it was Gaara, surprisingly, who appeared first. His dream was not so dark this time, Kyuubi was somewhat relieved. The demons entered cautiously.

Gaara's dream setting was a rocky half dessert area filled with scrub brush and random cacti. The whole place was permeated with a grey fog. Wildlife could be heard faintly, buzzing insects and hissing snakes like those normally found in such places, the desert was full of life.

Searching around the area for a little while they found Gaara sitting on a boulder beside a cactus in bloom. His head was bowed and his arms wrapped around his body. Kyuubi crouched down in front of him trying to look at his face without crowding too close. Shukaku watched curiously too, but kept his distance.

A faint sniffle was heard and Gaara slowly looked up, "Kyuubi. Thank you," he whispered with a wane smile.

Kyuubi sat up in pleased surprise. "For what?" she asked gently.

Gaara sniffed again. "'Cause you brought us together. Naruto an' me," He looked down smiling to himself now. "And he wouldn't give up on me. He never does, does he?" Gaara chuckled, talking mostly to himself. He looked up at the fox. "I know you're the one who made it happen, so thank you."

Kyuubi smiled kindly, laying down in front of the small boy while wrapping a tail around him. "You are most welcome my, dear," she said comfortingly. "How are you feeling now? I know it must have been a very difficult ordeal. But remember, you do have friends and people who do truly love you. Do not doubt that. Ever." She spoke gently, firmly, honestly.

Gaara curled up and started crying in earnest. Kyuubi feared she had said the wrong thing until Gaara murmured "Thank you. I won't." He looked up again. "Where is Naruto? I have to tell him I'm sorry," he looked around for the blond.

"He has yet to fall asleep, my dear," Kyuubi said.

"An' my sister?" he asked while wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"I am not sure. Let us see if we can find her," Kyuubi gestured to the doorway with the tattered cloth nearby.

Gaara sat up carefully, wiping his eyes dry. He walked over to the door and studied it for a time in silence.

"Do you remember?" Kyuubi asked him.

Gaara glanced at her and nodded before he stepped forward and his dream faded away into a starry expanse. He looked around only briefly, "She's not asleep yet," he said, a little sadly.

"How do you know that?" Shukaku had to ask.

Gaara turned to him a stared. He shrugged. "I just know."

Kyuubi tilted her head curiously. A thought occurred to her. "Naruto should arrive shortly. I would like to try a little something, if you are willing. I would like to know if you can tell when he is here, and where. I will move away some distance and wait with him once he arrives."

Gaara and Shukaku agreed to wait. Kyuubi turned and loped into the dark turning a circuitous route once she was some distance away. As she moved she thought about the child and demon behind her and thought she could detect something in their direction. She couldn't see, hear, nor smell them, yet there was a definite something pointing that way. It was just a knowing that couldn't be explained properly.

Naruto appeared a short while later. He smiled but he was still worried. Kyuubi smiled at him fondly.

"Good night, little one," she greeted warmly. "I have a question for you," she added.

Naruto tilted his head curiously. "What is it?"

"Yesternight, you said you knew I was real. Why are you so certain?"

Naruto smiled again, leaning back and putting his hands behind his head. "Oh that. When I walk down the street and I use that trick you showed me, where I use the wind to listen to people farther away, you know? I hear them say things like," he dropped his voice to a stage whisper, "There's the Kyuubi brat, he is a demon spawn...," he paused a moment. "Ne, Kyuubi, what's a spawn?"

Kyuubi chuckled, "It means you are a child of mine," Kyuubi told him with another warm smile.

"Oh, I thought it was something bad," Naruto said with a relieved sigh. Kyuubi laughed.

Just then, Gaara came around from some snining dreams, Shukaku in his wake. "Naruto," he called out.

Naruto gasped and ran over to him. "Gaara! Are you... I mean are you... uh," he stammered out.

"I'm ok now," Gaara reassured the nervous boy. "And Naruto? Thanks. I'm glad were friends."

"Best friends!" and Naruto hugged Gaara tight. Shukaku rolled his eyes and Kyuubi smiled.

"You found us Gaara."

"Yeah," Gaara anwered once Naruto let him loose. "I don't know what it is. I just knew it." He stopped and appeared to be listeneing to something. "And there's Temari now," he pointed off to the right.

Everyone looked that way. "Hey yeah, I think I... feel something." Naruto squinted, unsure.

"Let's go visit her," Kyuubi suggested. Gaara nodded and led the way to his sister's dream.

oOoOo

Temari was sitting in front of her home, her large fan across her knees when Gaara and Naruto found her. She stood to welcome them but Naruto hugged her first mumbling thank you over and over. She squeeked with surprise. "Um?"

Gaara snickered. "He does that," he shrugged. Temari patted Naruto awkwardly.

Kyuubi and Shukaku approached, emerging from the darkness. As Temari caught sight of the demon tanuki she froze. Shukaku favoured her with a wide toothy grin. Kyuubi was about to whap him and tell him to knock it off but Temari moved first. She stepped between the demons and Gaara, brandishing her over-sized fan.

"Y-you stay away from my little brother!" she yelled at the pair, her voice trembling but her stance firm. Everyone stared at her in wide eyed surprise.

Shukaku was the first to move. "Huh," he huffed turning to Kyuubi. "Threatened by a nine year old with a fan. Now I've seen everything."

Kyuubi whapped him then.


End file.
